October 27, 2013

Sundays Are Special

October 27, 2013

Sundays are always special as we gather for worship services with those who love the Lord as we do.  This morning was a reminder of the fact that the church is not really a building, although we use the term that way.  The church is the individuals who make up the body of believers.  We had a great service this morning with our youth minister preaching as the pastor was out of town today.  It is Pastor Appreciation month and we have a great staff of pastors to honor.

In our Bible Study class I heard pretty well.  When you don't hear well, there are times you don't get too upset about it - like if a child is screaming, or if there is just a lot of noise, but there are other times you really want to hear what is going on.  Today was one of those days.  One of the men in our class, had been asking prayer for for his daughter-in-law.  She had been battling breast cancer and seemed to be losing the battle.  A few weeks ago, the doctors called in hospice and took her off life support and told the family she had very little time left.  He continued to ask for prayer for her.  A couple of weeks ago, she began to ask for food that she had not been able to eat and gradually started gaining strength.  A new doctor came on the case and sent the hospice workers home and told him he would call them if he needed them.  He suggested she get up and talk a walk outside in the beautiful weather.  Three days ago she was released to go home and is continuing to gain strength at home.  She has children at home who need her.  God has given her more time with them.  What a joy it was to HEAR him share this answer to prayer.

Our daughter-in-law invited us to come to their house for lunch.  She and I stopped by the store on the way to her their house and picked up things to quickly prepare a lunch of Sloppy Joes.  Our little granddaughter entertained us endlessly throughout the visit.  The older girls had gone home with friends, so it was the boys and the baby.  The older boys are great, kind helpers and we all had a wonderful time with good food.

 

After Ron and I left Jeff's house we took a drive up the Military Highway, which follows the river up the valley.  Things have changed a lot since the last time I had been up that way.  Then we headed home, stopping briefly in Mom's neighborhood on the way to drop some things off at her neighbor's house. 

 

There were NO birds in the yard this afternoon.  I guess that hawk that has been around is back.  I spent a little time in the yard and then began to gather things for a couple of classes I will be taking this week in Houston at the International Quilt Festival.  I will be taking two all day classes and doing my fabric shopping for the year.  Fun!  A friend will be meeting me there and I will be taking one of the classes with her. 

 

Packing still needs to be done for the days in Houston, but I think I will do it tomorrow morning.  For over 25 years I have attended the Quilt Festival in Houston as often as possible, attending lectures, taking classes, and shopping.  Last year I took 4 classes and decided I would never take another one because I just could not hear well enough.  It was hard to admit that I just could not get enough out of the classes with my limited hearing.  My Cochlear Implant was activated the first week of July and the registration for classes came in the mail a few days later.  I quickly signed up for two classes knowing that I had a new chance to hear again!  The classes still may be a struggle due to being in a room filled with sewing machines going at full speed and happy women (and a few men) chattering, but I expect to be able to hear better than I have the last few years.  I will let you know.  One class will probably be very large and it may be hard to hear in that setting, but that is the one my friend will be taking with me, so that will help.

 

In an earlier blog, I may have mentioned that our oldest grandson is taking a writing course on line in conjunction with his home-schooling. Each week he has been sending in a segment of a story he is writing and had given me a copy of the work he has submitted so far.  This evening I sat down and read it.  I then passed it on to Ron and we are both very impressed with his writing skills and imagination.  He thinks he wants to be a writer and we think he is well on his way - at 15 years old.  Amazing!  The writing coach in this course is asking for short essays and he is sending chapters.  She is encouraging him to aim for a novel.  He is an avid reader, mostly of the classics, and is enjoying the challenge.  I love being able to hear this young man as we discuss his ideas!